This disclosure relates generally to a fuel cell arrangement and, more particularly, to recycling thermal energy generated by a fuel cell stack of the fuel cell arrangement.
Fuel cell stacks are well known. One type of fuel cell stack includes a plurality of individual solid oxide fuel cells. Each of the solid oxide fuel cells includes a tri-layer cell having an electrolyte layer positioned between a cathode electrode and an anode electrode.
Fuel cell stacks can generate significant thermal energy. Retaining significant thermal energy in the fuel cell stack is undesirable as is known. Some fuel cell stacks rely on a fluid, such as air, to remove thermal energy from the stack. The fluid moves through the fuel cell stack and carries thermal energy away from the stack.
Although the fluid is intended to cool the fuel cell stack, circulating fluid that is too cool can negatively affect the efficiency of the fuel cell stack. Accordingly, fluid that is intended to cool the fuel cell stack is typically preheated before the fluid is introduced to the fuel cell stack. A heat exchanger is often used to preheat the fluid. Heat exchangers include expensive materials and are costly to manufacture.